Antioxidant 1 copper chaperone gene expression and copper levels in dog osteosarcoma patients

Twenty-four dogs with OS underwent limb amputation. Serum, OS tumour, and normal bone were harvested at time of surgery. RNA was extracted and gene expression was performed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Tissue and blood copper concentrations were also determined with spectrophotometry. Compared to bone, tumour samples had significantly higher expressions of antioxidant 1 copper chaperone (ATOX1, p = .0003). OS tumour copper levels were significantly higher than that of serum (p < .010) and bone (p = .038). Similar to our previous observations in mouse and human OS, dog OS demonstrates overexpression of genes that regulate copper metabolism (ATOX1), and subsequent copper levels. Dogs with OS may provide a robust comparative oncology platform for the further study of these factors, as well as potential pharmacologic interventions.